MacKillop College: Wagga's educational showcase

MacKillop College: Wagga's educational showcase

Joanne Andrews

A common area of concern among young Catholics is that of
education. We have been aware of the difficulties faced by our own
parents in ensuring we received a good education, and the problems we
encountered as students. I have found the question of what to do about
our children's future education to be quite a popular topic of
conversation.

Often we turn to the possibility of independent schools. One such
promising school is the Blessed Mary MacKillop College in Wagga Wagga,
NSW, which is a privately owned, independent school (K-12) that teaches
the Catholic Faith.

The school has grown from the original seven students to over 80 at
present with current plans to relocate the colleges to a new site on 27
acres that will secure the school's future development. The colleges
also enjoy the approval and support of the local Ordinary Bishop Gerard
Hanna and the Sydney Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell.

At present, plans are in train for offering residential
accommodation, in a good Catholic family setting, for boys from Years
9-12 whose parents want for them what the school has to offer, but who
live at too great a distance for daily travel to and from the school.

The school offers a strong Catholic formation and solid educational
advantages (the school was ranked last year in the top 50 schools of
NSW in the national literacy and numeracy tests, and in the top 100
across the nation in literacy).

There will not be many places offered, so parents who are interested
should enquire about the details as early in 2010 as possible. It is
hoped that this advantage will also be offered for girls in Years 9-12
provided a local Catholic couple or family is willing and able to
accommodate them. Hence inquiries are also invited by parents of girls
in that year range.

From 2011 the school will offer students the option of studying
university units by distance via Open University Australia, alongside
their peers who choose to do the Higher School Certificate Course.
Students in both of these "streams" will attend regular classes in the
school and sit for exams in Catholic Moral and Dogmatic Theology,
Philosophy, and Church History.

The school is looking for more maths/science teachers - particularly
those capable of teaching at the senior school level. Are there any
good, committed Catholic teachers out there who would relish working in
a school strong on Catholic faith and culture, serious about academic
excellence and with few disciplinary problems? If so please apply
promptly for 2011.

If you are interested in teaching at the school, sending your
children there, or making a financial donation, please phone me on
0419 698 692 or
email: blessedmary at bigpond.com